CoachingAnswer

WHAT AVERAGE SPEED SHOULD I CYCLE?

By Anthony WalshRoadman CyclingUpdated 10 July 2026

ANSWER

On flat terrain in calm conditions, a beginner cyclist averages 18-22 km/h, an intermediate rider 24-28 km/h, a fit club cyclist 28-33 km/h, and a competitive racer 35-42 km/h solo. These figures drop 15-25% on hilly terrain and vary with wind, road surface, and bike type. Average speed is a blunt metric because it conflates fitness with conditions — power output normalised to weight (watts per kilogram) is a more reliable measure of cycling ability. A rider averaging 25 km/h into a headwind may be working harder than someone averaging 32 km/h with a tailwind.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Beginner: 18-22 km/h, intermediate: 24-28 km/h, club cyclist: 28-33 km/h, racer: 35-42 km/h on flat terrain.
Hilly terrain reduces average speed by 15-25% compared with flat routes.
Power output (watts per kilogram) is a more reliable fitness measure than average speed.
Wind, road surface, and bike type make speed comparisons between rides unreliable.

WHO THIS IS FOR

IS THIS YOU?

The new cyclist checking progress

You have started riding recently and want to know if your average speed is normal for your experience level.

The rider comparing themselves to others

You ride with faster friends or see Strava times that seem unreachable, and you want realistic context.

The time-crunched commuter

You cycle to work and want to know what average speed to plan for when calculating journey time.

THE ROADMAN VIEW

Average speed is the metric that cyclists obsess over and coaches mostly ignore. The problem is that it conflates your fitness with everything else: wind, terrain, traffic, temperature, whether you stopped at a junction. A power meter tells you how hard you actually worked. Average speed tells you what happened — including all the things you cannot control.

That said, benchmarks are useful for context. If you are averaging 22 km/h solo on flat roads after six months of riding, you are progressing normally. If you are at 30 km/h, you are already well above average for recreational cyclists. The difference between 30 and 35 is enormous — it requires roughly 60% more power due to the exponential relationship between speed and aerodynamic drag.

Use your own speed on a repeatable route in similar conditions as your benchmark. The same 30 km loop, ridden on the same day of the week, in similar weather, is a reasonable proxy for improvement. Comparing your Tuesday commute in a headwind to someone else's Strava time with a tailwind is meaningless.

EXPERT EVIDENCE

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Dr Andrew CogganExercise physiologist, power profiling pioneer
Power-based metrics such as watts per kilogram are condition-independent, making them far more reliable for tracking fitness than speed. A recreational cyclist producing 2.0-2.5 W/kg at threshold is comparable to 24-28 km/h flat speed; a competitive amateur at 3.5-4.0 W/kg equates to 33-38 km/h.
Dr Bert BlockenAerodynamics researcher, Eindhoven University of Technology
Aerodynamic drag increases with the square of velocity. At 25 km/h, a rider needs approximately 100W to overcome drag. At 35 km/h, the same rider needs roughly 270W — a 170% increase in power for a 40% increase in speed.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

DO THIS WEEK

Establish a benchmark route
Choose a 20-30 km loop with consistent terrain that you can ride regularly. Record speed, power, heart rate, and conditions. Compare your times over months, not individual rides.
Use power instead of speed for training
If you have a power meter, track your FTP and training zones rather than average speed. A watt is a watt regardless of wind direction.
Adjust expectations for terrain and conditions
Expect 15-25% lower speeds on hilly routes. Headwinds above 20 km/h can reduce average speed by 3-5 km/h. Compare like with like.
Focus on your own progression, not others
A 2 km/h improvement over six months of structured training is excellent progress for an intermediate rider. Compare your current self to your past self.

COMMON MISTAKES

WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG

MISTAKEComparing average speed across different routes.
FIXA 28 km/h average in the Yorkshire Dales is a harder ride than 33 km/h in the flatlands of East Anglia. Terrain, wind, and elevation make cross-route comparison meaningless.
MISTAKERiding every ride at maximum speed.
FIXTrying to beat your average on every ride prevents proper recovery and zone 2 adaptation. Most of your rides should feel easy. Save the speed efforts for benchmark days.
MISTAKEIgnoring wind when interpreting speed.
FIXA 15 km/h headwind can reduce your speed by 5+ km/h at the same power. Check wind speed before concluding you had a bad ride.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a good commuting speed?

Urban commuting speeds typically range from 18-25 km/h due to traffic lights, junctions, and pedestrians. Plan on 20 km/h average for journey time calculations. Experienced commuters on clear routes average 25-30 km/h.

How much does bike type affect speed?

A road bike is 3-5 km/h faster than a hybrid and 5-8 km/h faster than a mountain bike on paved roads at the same effort level. The differences come from tyre width, weight, riding position, and rolling resistance.

Why is my Strava speed lower than my computer shows?

Strava includes stopped time in elapsed time calculations unless you enable auto-pause or use moving time. Your bike computer may also measure wheel speed differently from GPS-derived speed. Use the same source consistently.

Does age affect average cycling speed?

VO2max declines approximately 7-10% per decade after 30, which reduces maximum sustainable power. A well-trained 55-year-old is typically 10-15% slower than their 30-year-old self at the same training volume. Structured training slows but does not prevent this decline.

How much faster is a group ride than solo?

Drafting in a group increases average speed by 4-8 km/h at the same effort. The larger the group and the smoother the rotation, the greater the benefit. A solo average of 28 km/h becomes 33-35 km/h in an efficient paceline.

Should I track average or moving speed?

Moving speed (excluding stopped time) is more useful for fitness tracking. Average speed (including stops) is more useful for journey planning. Be consistent — pick one and stick with it for comparisons.